Puppy Love
by Narshean Princess
Summary: A small love story of ZackxVincent. They meet in the basement of Nibleheim where Zack finds an old key to the basment. Shounen-Ai,hints of VincentxLucrecia, along with force SephirothxVincent and cute ZackxCloud. Please comment, thank you.
1. Chapter 1

Puppy Love

"Puppy Love"

FFVII Crisis Core Fan fiction

ZackxVincent shounen-ai pairing

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I'm listening to David Bowie's "As the World Falls Down", as well as Pan's Labyrinth "Lullaby", while writing this. It's a good song and it gives me inspiration for this couple. Which is one of my favorite crack pairings. xD

Anywho, rate and comment, that's what I like. Also, comments give me further inspiration and allows me to grow as a writer. Maybe if you give me a good comment or suggestion I'll use it. n.n

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He couldn't believe this! Sephiroth was a great general and strong warrior, yes, but when it came to personality he was at the bottom of the barrel. To think Sephiroth had to just disappear on Zack like that! Especially when they had a mission to do.

Anyway, he had a good idea where he could be. He found him there before, after all. The basement of the Shinra Mansion was very creepy. It had no flooring, using only soil. There was a pair of skeletons off in a corner, a separate room – locked – and then the strange laboratory. The laboratory was where Sephiroth lingered, reading all he could.

As long as Sephiroth was out of sight, that meant Zack could get away with leisure time. That meant calling his girlfriend, or hanging out with Cloud in the inn.

Though, today was different. Instead of the usual, he took it upon himself to discover all of the mansion's secrets. That was when he found a raggedy old key. Knowing there was only one room that was locked, he decided to use the key on the door brother to the laboratory room.

It worked.

Pushing it open with a creak, Zack peeked in. No one in sight. The only thing he could see were three coffins and a few skeletons and spare bones scattered through out the room. It must've been some kind of family burial, or something. He couldn't quite figure it out.

The coffins were open, exposing their owners. That is, except the center of the trio. It was closed, which only awakened that curiosity within the blue-eyed soldier. The kind of curiosity that often got him into trouble.

"I wonder what it is…" He pondered, making his way over to the coffin. "What if it's a zombie? And if it's a zombie, it might want my brain!" He stopped, clutching his head. He didn't want to lose his brain!

Okay, the creepy-ness of this place was really starting to take a toll on him. Still, he was eager to see what was in the coffin. What if it was gil? Or a Hero's Drink? Those were a pretty rare find.

Feeling gigglish like a school girl, he happily moved beside the coffin, eager to find his Hero's Drink. Oh, this was so exciting!

It looked like there were no locks and was push-able. Pressing his shoulder against the lid, Zack pushed. It creaked and groaned, giving way to the pressure the soldier gave. With a large thud, the lid was removed and the insides revealed.

What was inside the coffin was more of a surprise than finding a toe in your soup. Not to mention this one was a bit more pleasant than the latter.

Raven hair, the length mid-back, spread elegantly around a slim figure resting on the velvet cushioning. Pale skin crowned with scarlet wrapping around the forehead, the man was dressed in black and crimson. On his left arm was a golden gauntlet shaped like a claw that matched his golden pointy boots. He was positively the most beautiful human Zack had ever seen. A real sleeping beauty.

Unable to control himself, he reached inside and brushed his gloved fingers against skin as pale as the full moon. Zack's heart started to pump rapidly, heat rushing to his cheeks.

What a find!

The man sleeping within the coffin shifted, his limbs still numb from a long sleep. Ever so slowly, dark lashes revealed rose-red eyes, thin lips parting, as if to speak. The dark haired beauty stared up into sky-blue eyes emotionlessly.

Panicking, Zack said the first thing that popped into his head, "Good morning sunshine!" A goofy grin plastered itself on his face. "The Earth says 'hello'!" He felt like an idiot.

The man only stared at him, disbelieving and harsh. "So," continued Zack, "What'cha doin' sleeping in a coffin? You a vampire?"

Raven hair fell across his face as the pale figure looked away. He had slept for how long only to wake up to –this-? "Who are you?" He asked, his voice hard, deep, and husked.

Zack felt an immediate attraction to his voice alone. Not only were the man's looks stunning, his voice matched, giving him a rather Gothic aura. It was truly an amazing and rare find. "I'm Zack Fair." He chirped, "What's your name?"

"… Vincent." The man known as Vincent said with brief hesitation. "Vincent Valentine."

Score! He had hit the jack pot. His name had subtle meaning, a meaning that Zack could toy with to his liking. His massive grin must've given him away, for he soon found rose eyes glaring daggers.

"Don't." He growled with a promise to hurt the soldier.

Zack couldn't help but chuckle. "Aw, you're no fun."

"Don't toy with me, Mr. Fair." Came another growl. Vincent was starting to get annoyed with such playful humor. Zack was like a puppy. "I'm a Turk well trained to take out my opponents with a single bullet shot in the head, with very little percentage of a miss."

"Yeah, but I bet you're too stiff from your nap to even hold your gun." Zack teased, leaning towards the dark beauty, a smirk replacing the stupid grin. "I bet you're too weak to even hold off a hedge-hog pie."

"Don't be ridiculous." Vincent was starting to get uncomfortable. The gleam in Zack's eyes was unfamiliar, as though silently hinting at… something… something horrible.

Zack took hold of Vincent's chin, forcing him to look up at the other. "Prove me wrong, then." He smirked, leaning down and claiming the beauty's lips.

Inhaling sharply, the sleeping beauty pushed at Zack's muscled chest, managing to get his lips away. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Teasing you." Zack replied in simplicity.

He pushed back, forcing Vincent's hands down as his body practically crushed the other. "Stop…" Vincent struggled, feeling claustrophobic. "Don't… I don't…"

"What's wrong?" Zack teased Vincent's jaw with small kisses.

"I'm not… that way…" He bit his bottom lip, tilting his head back.

"Neither am I." Zack chuckled, nipping at the man's neck.

"Then why are you doing this?" Vincent closed his eyes. As much as he thought how despicable and wrong Zack's touches were, he couldn't deny that, secretly, he enjoyed them. His body was refusing to obey his mind, only knowing that it had been far too long since the last sexual encounter.

Zack thought for a minute, and then answered, "I have a thing for beautiful people, I guess."

"I suppose I should take that as a compliment." Vincent murmured.

"Hmm…" Zack brought a lock of raven to his lips, taking in the sweet smell. "You smell nice."

Vincent remained quiet, wanting this nightmare to end quickly. He shifted, trying again to push the soldier off his tired body. His efforts were useless, however, since Zack was heavier and more physically built than the gunman.

The gunman smelled of high-class cologne and gunpowder, an unusual combination, but it matched Vincent almost perfectly. Moving his hips in a grinding motion, Zack managed to make the man below him moan involuntarily, which only excited the soldier.

Biting his bottom lip, Vincent opened his eyes, watching as Zack touched his helpless and weak body, being unable to do anything to stop him. The soldier managed to get his shirt open without ripping off the numerous buttons or his crimson cloak. His heart started to pound, blood rushing through his veins and heat rising to his cheeks, Zack dragged his fingers along Vincent's bare, pale exposed chest, pressing his lips lightly on his collar bone.

He managed to murmur through pouted, thin lips, "Stop… please…" His breath hitched in his throat as Zack trailed lower. "Zack…"

This was wrong. This kind of love was forbidden. Vincent wanted to escape, to make this dark pleasure stop. Shutting his eyes tightly, he tried to think of something, someone, to take his mind away from such wondrous feelings.

"Lucrecia…" Came a small whine.

"Who's Lucrecia…?" Zack stopped his assault and looked down at Vincent, curiosity deep in those sky-blue eyes.

Vincent flushed, his eyes wilted with sadness. "The only woman I've ever loved."

Zack kissed the corner of his mouth, out of concern. This man obviously had a lot on his mind. Finding it only fair, he propped himself up, his head tilting. "Tell me again why you're in this coffin."

Vincent quickly looked away, shadows from his hair covering his face. In a weak attempt, Zack licked at the man's neck before suckling on it, leaving a red mark that was only accentuated by moon light skin.

"If you tell me I'll get out of your coffin." Zack bargained with a grin.

That was an offer Vincent couldn't refuse. Though, he wasn't exactly wild about having the young man leave a mark on his neck. "It started with a mission I was assigned to. I was to be the bodyguard of two scientists who worked in this very town."

"Who were the scientists?" Zack asked. He received an annoyed glare. "Sorry. Go on."

"The scientists were Professor Hojo, head of the science department in Shinra, and Professor Lucrecia Crescent." Vincent's eyes sort of glazed over with remembrance, his stoic face softening. "Beautiful… beautiful Lucrecia…"

"She must've been a real looker." Zack commented, again, receiving a disapproving glare. He apologized and asked Vincent to continue.

"During our stay here, Lucrecia became pregnant and I found out they were going to experiment on the unborn child. I was against this and went against Hojo, telling him to stop. I was met with… utter failure, however." As he spoke, images flashed through his mind. Lucrecia's scream, gun fire, blood, and eventually, darkness. "My sin was being unable to stop the experimentation, and my punishment was sleep."

"So Hojo stuck you in this coffin?" Zack asked, a bit confused. He knew Hojo. Not personally, but he knew of him. In fact, he had protected him once from Genesis. What a coincidence. "And you're going to sleep your sin away?"

"My sleep is not enjoyable." Vincent countered, his face returning to being stoic. "I am visited by many nightmares."

"That's not good!" Zack hopped out of the coffin. He had decided. In order to save Vincent, he was going to take him out of this place. "I'm gonna stop all those nightmares."

"Is that so?" Vincent managed to sit up, his back popping. It felt good, mind you.

"Yeah. I'm going to take you out of this creepy place." Zack predicted Vincent would jump at the chance, but his prediction was wrong.

"Go away."

"Aww, come on! You can't just stay here!" Zack argued, whining like a puppy dog.

"I will do as I please." Countered the gunman.

"No. I'm not going to let you stay here."

Without another word, Zack placed his arms beneath Vincent's legs and behind his back, lifting him easily. He was really light. Probably lighter than Aerith, which was surprisingly light.

"Put me down!" Vincent argued, kicking his legs.

"No way, Jose." Zack chirped making his way out of the room.

"My name's not Jose!"

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There you have it. My one-shot. Though, I think I set myself up for a sequel. XD

Anyway, if you want to see more, then leave me a comment! 3

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	2. Chapter 2

"Puppy Love"

The sequel to the one-shot

An FFVII fanfiction

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I want to thank a dear friend for helping me write this chapter. I got stuck a few pages down and he helped me get through it by writing for Zack.

I also want to thank so many people wanting a sequel. Well, here it is. There'll definately be a third part. Stick around for it!

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Zack, the unknown hero at the time, sat Vincent down on one of the Inn's beds and took up a heroic stance. "There you are. Much more comfortable than a coffin!" He said with a grin.

"I hate you." Vincent could only glare at the soldier. Honestly, he had liked the coffin. It was comfortable and it allowed him solitude. Apart from the nightmares, it was an ideal place to spend the rest of his life. No wonder people were in a rush to die.

"But I saved you!" Zack pouted. "The least you can do is give your hero a kiss!"

"What?" The pale man stared, dumbfounded, up at Zack.

"A kiss for the hero." The puppy's grin increased and he pointed lazily at his lips. "You're my maiden I rescued from the evil clutches of the Shinra Mansion!"

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Vincent propped up a brow. Now Zack was going in his world of fantasies, and apparently Vincent was the princess, which was an insult. "I'm not your damsel in distress nor your princess. Leave me alone, you pathetic individual."

"All I want is a kiss, then I'll get out of your hair." Zack moved in for the kiss, pushing Vincent down and positioning himself on top.

"Stop it! I'm not going to kiss you!" Vincent flailed. "Get off me, you bastard!"

"Never!"

"Damn it! I said off!"

"Just a kiss!"

"No!"

"Zack…?" Said a soft, shy voice from the door.

Both men looked over at the opened door to see a pretty blond boy, his knuckles just about to knock.

"Oh! Hi, Cloud!" Zack grinned, acting as though being on top of another man, who was practically kicking and screaming, wasn't a crime. "What's up?"

Cloud's cheeks burned tomato red and he tensed, his bright blue eyes widening. "Ah-uhm! N-Nothing!" He practically curled into a ball at the embarrassment. "Well… there is something…"

"What is it?" Zack tilted his head. Vincent could only be quiet and pretend like he never existed.

"Have you found Sephiroth yet…?" Cloud asked, avoiding looking at Zack.

"Oh, yeah… that…" Zack chuckled nervously. "Well, he's in the basement of the Shinra Mansion. I wouldn't worry about him. Just give him some space."

"… Sephiroth…?" Vincent murmured to himself. That was the name of his love's son. Could it be that this meeting with Zack was more than just a coincidence?

"One more thing." Cloud pointed to the man positioned below Zack, which made the soldier look down at the gunman. "Who's that?"

"OH!" Zack laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "This is Vincent. I found him a little while ago in the Shinra Mansion."

"What was he doing there?" Cloud asked dumbly.

"Sleeping." Vincent answered blatantly.

Cloud burst out laughing. "No, really. Why?"

"Sleeping." Vincent repeated.

"No way!" The blond grinned and giggled and left the two alone, closing the door after him.

The two were silent, contemplating what had just happened. A small gurgle of hunger echoed in the empty room, causing both to pale.

"What was that?" Zack asked, knowing it wasn't him. After all, he ate earlier. He stared down at Vincent, who turned a light shade of pink. "You hungry?"

Vincent nodded shyly, hiding his eyes from the other.

"Alright. I'll get you something to eat, then." Zack climbed off Vincent and headed out the door. "You stay here and make yourself comfortable." With a wink, he was gone.

After awhile Zack returned with a tray of food. He set it down beside Vincent, who hadn't moved during the time of absence. He simply sat at the edge of the bed, his hair covering most of his face. He could've just run away from this place and return to his coffin, yet, why did he feel guilty at the thought of simply leaving without explanation?

Glancing over at the food, Vincent's face grew to a sick level of pale. A glass of milk, yogurt with granola and fruit mixed in a cup, and a bowl of rice with fried fish.

"I can't eat this." Vincent said sullenly.

"What?" Zack's smile faded and he stood there stunned. "Why not?"

"Well, the rice, maybe." The gunman brought up one leg and rested his head on the knee. "I'm allergic to everything on this tray."

"What?" The soldier didn't know how to react to this. He had scoured around the kitchen searching for something to keep his 'prize' from starving to death and it turned out he was allergic! "What are you allergic to?"

"Dairy, seafood, vitamin C… basically everything except grain and celery."

The blue eyed man could only stare at Vincent. No wonder he was so thin! He couldn't eat anything without the risk of dying. Or so it seemed. "How bad is it?"

"My throat swells up if I even taste it." A simple answer from a simple man.

"Oh, God…" Zack turned around and sniffed his breath. He didn't smell like breakfast, thankfully. "Are you allergic to eggs?"

"Yes. That's one of my worst."

Dammit. It looked like he'd have to switch his diet if he wanted to avoid hurting Vincent using allergic tactics. "What about kissing someone who ate eggs?"

"It depends. If you don't smell egg on your breath than it's fine." Vincent tilted his head a bit and looked at Zack with curious eyes. The rose color almost shimmered like a glass of wine barely touched. Zack couldn't help but stare into that beautiful red pond.

"Don't look at me like that."

Vincent's voice brought Zack out of his daze. "Huh?"

"I said don't look at me like that. It makes me uncomfortable." Vincent's eyes narrowed, cancelling out the beautiful effect the sun had.

"What? Like this?" Zack leaned in, smirking and staring at Vincent in a similar way.

"Stop it!" Vincent grumbled and pushed him away, once again finding it hard. "Stop it, I said!"

"I heard you." Zack smirked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he moved in for a kiss. "Now, how about that kiss…?"

"Zack, stop… don't…" Vincent lowered his head, cheeks turning a light pink as Zack's breath fell over his already pouting lips. He hated being this helpless and vulnerable; unable to fight off the other.

"You can plead, but you know I won't obey." The man on top chuckled, hips grinding against the beautiful gunman. "Besides, you can't resist me for long."

"I can try…" The gunman glared, only succeeding in propelling the other onward as a soft, barely audible moan escaped. "Ah…"

Zack's lips hovered above Vincent's, just a breath away. "Just a kiss… Vincent…"

Vincent's cheeks burned like fire and turned cherry red. Swallowing hard, he shook his head, his lips already pouting out, wanting to meet the other's lips.

His vigor hadn't been shattered. Liking this new game he came up with, Zack claimed the gunman's lips, only to get slapped. "I said no!"

Grinning, Zack could only rub his cheek. He hissed, the skin tender and stinging with a vengeance. "That's no way a princess like yourself should act."

"I'm not a princess!" Vincent growled.

"Well, not with an attitude like that, you're not," Zack smirked, sitting up, trying to hide the slight pain the sting in his cheek caused him. "You know, 'cause princesses are supposed to be grateful for being saved. I guess you missed that day in princess school, huh?"

"For the last time..." Vincent gave Zack a death glare, his entire body tense. "I'm not a princess!"

Zack was really liking this. It was adorable how Vincent was pouting and throwing a temper tantrum over something so small. "Well, you're pretty like a princess, I found you asleep in a dark and dangerous place...That's two things on the 'I'm A Princess' List."

Vincent's face flushed bright red. Well, Zack did have a point. The only problem was that he was a man and princesses weren't men. Unless they were drag queens, but that would make them... well, queens.

Sighing a great sigh, Vincent's lips made a straight, thin line and he laid back, the pillows spreading out his hair like water. "If you're going to continue treating me like this, then at least use the proper gender status. A prince, not a princess."

"Yeah, but, I don't think I'd get the same reaction out of you if I called you prince," Zack teased, his eyes shining brightly as he realized that Vincent was, even if the gunman didn't realize it, warming up to him. "Not only that but..." the soldier quickly repositioned himself over Vincent again, waiting for the now normal response, "I've never heard of any fairytales where a prince saves a prince...Maybe we should write a new one?" He smirked, moving his face an inch away, breathing in the scent of gunpowder and cologne again. Man was it intoxicating!

"Zack, please..." Vincent's eyes dragged half-closed, hating how weak he was against the soldier. He wanted so desperately to shoot him in the head and escape this wretched nightmare.

But, of course, he couldn't deny how handsome and breathtaking Zack could be. Truly, a charming man.

"Why do you keep me?" He asked, ready to just give up, but his pride wouldn't allow him. "With your charisma, surely you have someone waiting for you at home. Or, what about Cloud? You two seem to be close." Anything to get Zack off him and stop the fast pace of his beating heart.

"Ah, Cloud's cute, to be sure," Zack smiled, "But you've got some qualities that he doesn't have...Plus, you've got this whole 'tall, dark and mysterious' thing going on. How did you ever keep the ladies away?" the soldier laughed. He wasn't giving up, as much as Vincent would have wanted him to.

At the thought of women, a certain beauty popped into his head, and like the somber man he was, he dropped his gaze, eyes glazed with sadness. He turned his face away, allowing locks of raven to cover his face, similar to a tiger in a black forest. "I couldn't even get one woman. I'm not well equipped to deal with that sort of thing."

"Oh, that was...uh, Lucrecia, right?" Zack asked, sensing the feeling of sadness that swept over his 'prize'. He definitely had some issues to work out, but that made Zack want him all the more, simply because of his need to be a hero. To help people.

"Well, you were...well you got me!" Zack offered, hoping to cheer the gunman up. "That's saying something since I get to work with Sephiroth all the time, and let me tell you, he's definitely no body to sneeze at!"

He glanced over at Zack, confusion rippling in his rose colored eyes. "I didn't 'get you', Zack." Vincent's voice was slightly coarse, but that was only because he was trying to recover from the sudden surge of depression. "You got me. In fact, you didn't get me. You kidnapped me."

"Nah, kidnapping implies that it was against your will!" Zack chuckled, pressing himself a bit harder against Vincent, demonstrating his point. "You and I know that, deep down, if you didn't want to be here, you wouldn't have waited for me to come back with food. And you had other chances to leave too, so don't make me out to be the bad guy here!"

And with that, he stole a quick kiss from Vincent's lips. "In fact," he said quietly now, though the playful tone was still there, "The only type of real resistance you've made was when you slapped me, and even then, it really didn't hurt!"

Vincent inhaled sharply, a heat burning in the pit of his stomach as Zack claimed a kiss. A kiss long since denied.

He stared up at him, putting up a resisting wall with a glare, his lips still pouted out; silently wishing the kiss had lasted longer. He swallowed heavily. Zack had a point. He could've left so easily, not to mention fought back just as strongly, or even killed him.

Yet, why did he stay? What kept him here beneath his - dare he even think it - prince.

"You've some nerve to kiss me without my consent." He scowled, finding no better words to use at the moment.

"I've already done it a couple times," Zack mused, his eyes closing half-way, looking very satisfied. It sounded like Vincent was finally stopping his resistance. "So would you let me kiss you if I asked?"

Damn him! Damn him for trapping him like this!

Vincent, without knowing it, was pouting like a child. "You're a jerk, you know that."

"You didn't answer my question," Zack pointed out, leaning close again, his lips brushing Vincent's pale throat, where the scent of cologne was strongest. His tongue licked the small area he had earlier marked. It was already paling. He would make sure it stayed there a bit longer.

"Hn...!" Vincent's head automatically tipped back, once again feeling the surge of helplessness. Cheeks now a light pink, his back arched slightly. "If you asked..." He breathed, finding it hard to concentrate. "... If... I... I would... yes..."

Zack smiled, seeing that he had finally won. Naturally, he would have liked to see the game go a little longer, but maybe Vincent would get out of this helpless mood later and they could play again.

"Alright," he said, looking Vincent dead in the eye, his own shining with the same puppy look they had had for the past hour, "May I kiss you?"

Vincent looked back, hating the fact he had lost. Well, Zack had the upper-hand in this, so maybe next time... Wait, what was he thinking? There wasn't going to be a next time!

Deciding to be a good loser, Vincent closed his eyes, lips begging to be kissed. "Yes."

"You're just too cute," Zack smiled, leaning in, his tongue licking over those pouting lips a moment, before he kissed them. Slowly, tenderly, exploring the warm crevice; tasting, as his hips grinded slightly. It was a victory well-earned.

Vincent moaned, without meaning to, into the other's mouth, his own opening wider, allowing the exploration to last longer. His own hips gave in, moving back against Zack's, his hands hesitantly reaching and combing through the larger man's hair. He had to admit, Zack was a very well-made kisser.

Zack happily obliged, not hesitating for a moment, though, he managed to stifle his own moan as Vincent returned the motion. After all, he _was_ the 'rescuing-prince' here. His exploration reached the other's tongue, tantalizing it, breathing into his throat gently, glad that it still wasn't scented with his breakfast. This would have been impossible otherwise.

Vincent tensed, shivers running down his spine and leaving traces of goose bumped flesh. This was all too exhilarating for him. His body awakening further to arousal, he returned Zack's innocent fondling, allowing his tongue to play with the other's, the pink muscles dancing between each other's mouths.

"Zack, this is no time to be playing around." Said a voice from the door way. Freezing, Vincent's eyes widened and he tugged himself out of the kiss, only to stare at the visage of a mortal God standing in the doorway.

Sephiroth had a few files in his hands, looking slightly tired. He had, after all, been reading for two nights straight in the manner's basement.

"Oh, hey Sephi-chan." Zack was honestly stunned, having not expected him to walk in like this. He pushed himself off Vincent and watched he curled into the fetal position, covering his mouth and blushing for all that it was worth. "Glad to see you out of that basement."

"I'm going back later tonight." Sephiroth responded diligently. "I only came for Masamune."

Zack looked over at Masamune, the long, thin samurai sword Sephiroth was oh-so fond of. It was resting against a nearby wall, waiting patiently for its master to return. "Going back? Why?"

"I just found an interesting section on Professor Gast's studies. Have you patrolled the town yet?"

"No. I was… uh… busy." The blue-eyed soldier scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously. "Cloud's on it, though."

"Fine." Sephiroth glanced over at Vincent, staring at him for a short while before eventually leaving, silently wondering where Zack found such a rare looking beauty.

+--

Ooooh! It looks like Seph's noticed Vincent! I wonder what'll happen next? If you have any ideas for the story, go ahead and tell me. Who knows, I might use them. nn

I hope you've enjoyed the second chapter of "Puppy Love"!!

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	3. Chapter 3

"Puppy Love"

"Puppy Love"

The Third Addition

FFVII Crisis Core Fanfiction

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Again, I had the help of my good friend. He was a major help in this chapter and I'm actually enjoying writing it like this. nn I should have him help me more often.

+--

It had been a total of two days since Vincent was taken from his confined sleep. For those two days, he hadn't slept a wink, but rather wandered around town. It hadn't changed at all, excepting there were more people engaged in dwelling within their pitiful, sad homes.

He sat on the edge of the old town well, his thoughts scattered. The bridge near the well was where he and Lucrecia had spent most of their time together, chatting the day away. Giving a longing sigh, he turned his eyes sky-ward, watching the thin clouds roll by lazily. Such a quiet town.

"Hey! Vinnie!" Zack's voice called out, breaking the silence of the town as he came running up to the stoic man, his face beaming, eyes shining with the same lively gleam they always had.

In the two days since he had dragged Vincent into town, Zack had been doing his very best to stick close to the man as best as possible, shamelessly bugging him and attempting to maintain the delicate balance of 'hero' and 'rescued princess' between him and Vincent.

Of course, there hadn't been another incident like there had been the first day, and Zack seemed unphased by the fact that he had been caught with Vincent by not one, but two people. Still, he had let the gunman have some room to breath... for about five minutes.

Groaning and rolling his eyes, Vincent decided it best to ignore the soldier. Some silence ought to do him good.

"Aw come on!" Zack whined, pulling himself up beside Vincent, pretending to be dejected. "It's been two days, Vincent! Don't tell me that you're still giving me the cold shoulder!" He smirked and quickly pecked his 'captive' on the cheek. "And we had so much fun that first day! Now you've done nothing but ignore me..."

"Don't call me Vinnie." Vincent blinked slowly, keeping his eyes trained down, acting as though the kiss was nothing. His cheek started to tingle, but he ignored it easily. "What do you want?"

"Just to be with you!" Zack laughed, putting his arm around the man, trying to get a reaction of some kind out of him. He pulled him close to his side, a huge smile on his face, now that Vincent had at least started talking to him again. "And if I can't call you Vinnie, then what can I call you? It'll get boring if I keep calling you Vincent!" He paused and thought for a moment, before snapping his fingers. "I got it!" He proclaimed proudly. "I'll call you Vinnie-chan!"

"No." Vincent said with more force. He would not allow Zack to use such childishness with him. He was a man proud of his name. It held great strength and just the sound of it described him so well.

Zack sighed heavily again, looking even more dejected.

"You're absolutely no fun..." he muttered, pouting slightly, before looking at Vincent, his face and voice a bit more sedated. "Hey, uh, Vincent... I want to ask you something."

He looked out over the town, trying to figure out how to ask something that seemed so awkward, even for him. Still, it was a question that needed asking, if only to satisfy his curiosity.

"Uh, I was just wondering..." he started, scratching behind his head idly, trying to form the question properly. "You seemed a bit more comfortable with what happened when we first met then someone who wasn't into a guy like me would be... did you, uh, you know, experiment with someone in the Turks?"

Vincent's eyes widened and his cheeks burned a bright pink. He stared at Zack, shocked. Too shocked to speak, actually. It took him a moment to soak it in, trying to come up with an answer.

Clearing his throat, he stated, simply, "No."

Zack smirked, leaning in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Aw, come on! You can tell me! I won't say a word to anyone else! Cross my heart! You can't tell me you didn't even think about it, huh?" he asked, nudging him with his elbow. "Huh?"

"Stop it!" The gunman scooted away from the soldier, lips pursing, not liking where this conversation was going. Was sex all Zack ever talked about? Honestly. "I did no such thing!"

"Okay okay! Geeze!" Zack chuckled, patting the gunman on the back with considerable force. "No need to get so testy. It was just a question!"

He quieted down for a moment, and then looked at the man almost appreciatively. "You're really something else though, you know that? You're like... well, I don't know. Kinda like a brother or something I never had. Cloud was the first, and you're the second! I feel like I'm slowly getting a family, with Sephiroth as like the big brother over us all, you know?" He paused, looking out again. "Guess I'm just saying I'm grateful you've stuck around as long as you have already."

"Well... I don't really have any where to go." Vincent looked down, calming down a bit, hair falling against his face, the sun hitting it at the perfect angle and creating angelic high-lights. It was true. He didn't have a family that was alive. Possibly. Or if they were still alive, they would've thought he was dead being gone for so long.

"Well, you can stay with me wherever I go!" Zack grinned, putting his arm around Vincent's neck and pulling him close. "I found you, so I guess it's my responsibility to take care of you!" Granted Vincent was most certainly not a pet, but Zack wasn't going to abandon him to just go back to his coffin again, especially after waking him up like that.

"But if you're going to be awake and everything we definitely need to work on your moodiness! You're pretty cute when you're looking down and all, but I bet your smile is even cuter!"

Vincent's brows furrowed. He did not appreciate being grabbed like this. Shrugging Zack away, he gripped onto the top of his gauntlet and stared at it. He had almost forgotten about it. It was probably the reason most of the towns folk avoided him. "I don't smile."

"Yeah well, people probably wouldn't be so nervous around you if you did," Zack replied, looking very serious. "Come on! Just one little smile! I promise not to kiss you or anything for the rest of the day if you give me one real smile right now!"

Vincent sighed heavily and jumped down from the well, landing perfectly on his feet. "You're impossible."

He turned and left Zack, hoping to find some other place of seclusion.

"Hey! You didn't smile!" Zack called, jumping down and following after the gunman. He ran up behind him and pounced hard, his arms going around his neck, pushing him forward. "Come on! Just one!" He put a pout on his lips, but moved them close along Vincent's collar. "For me? Please?!"

"Ack!" Vincent fell over, not expecting to be pounced on. He rolled onto his back, attempting to push Zack off him. "Get off me! Stop it!" His legs kicked and he felt completely helpless. This must be what a girl felt like being raped in an alley, or close to it. "Zack, stop it!"

"No way!" Zack replied, grunting as he tried to avoid being kicked, and yet still hold down his 'catch'. "Not until you smile! Come on! Just one!"

"No! Stop it!" Vincent tilted his head back, thrashing like a fish out of water.

Finally, Zack had enough. Bringing his boots down on Vincent's ankles, his hands on his wrists, he held the man down, looking more serious then he had in a while. "Look, you can't go through life being depressed all the time! Especially when people around you are trying their best to be happy! You may not like me, but I like you, and I know that you have a smile worth fighting for like this! Now quit being a baby!" he grunted again, looking Vincent dead in the eye, "And smile! Just one! You're so busy moping that you don't even realize that you have like, a million reasons to be happy!"

Vincent was a bit angry, but slowly, that anger deteriorated. Zack was serious. Unable to look him in the eye any longer, he turned his head to the side, calming down. "I'd rather not."

"But why? Is it because of that Lucrecia girl?" he asked. Normally, he wouldn't have been so serious, but he knew and understood that she was really a sore spot for him. His voice softened, but he didn't loosen his hold. "Look, I know it must be hard loosing someone you really love like that. But this whole guilt thing isn't going to help you or her or anyone! Do you really think that she would have wanted you to mope around like this? If she was as great as you make her sound, then there is no way in Hell she would want you to keep beating yourself up!" His eyes grew softer, almost sad. "You seem like a really wonderful person, but all you've done for the past two days is hide! Come on! I know that you've got to be braver than that!"

"Zack, you don't know what it's like..." Vincent took in a shuddering breath, keeping himself calm and forcing himself not to over react in a situation like this. It wouldn't do any good. He wouldn't want to see Zack angry, guessing it wasn't good. "All I did was watch. I could've stopped her. It's my fault. All of it."

"You think you're the only one who's gone through something like that?!" Zack barked, a tiny glisten of a tear forming in the corner of his eye. Angeal... the man he respected more then even Sephiroth... Gone because Zack wasn't strong enough to help him when he needed it. He wasn't able to help at all because he was too powerless to do a single thing!

"I know exactly what that feels like! And even then, I've kept going, not for me, but for him! Angeal was the greatest guy in the world, and yet bad stuff happened to him... stuff that shouldn't have. But I haven't spent all this time crying about it! I've gone on with my life for him! I'm living for us both, finishing what he started! Doesn't this Lucrecia deserve that much from you, at least in memory of what she meant to you?"

Vincent looked up, a bit surprised to hear this from someone so chipper. Zack had gone through hardships, yet, he didn't act it.

Pondering over his words, he eventually nodded in acceptance. "I see."

"If you see, then you should understand what I'm trying to tell you completely," Zack replied, his tone becoming stronger again. "You should know that this is why I want to see you smile...Because you deserve to live now in the present, and not in the past like you have been! That's why you were in that coffin, right? Because you were guilty about what happened?" He couldn't believe what he was saying himself. He hadn't felt this passionate about anything in a while. "I want you to smile because then I'll know that you're ready to live again...Until you can smile, then I know I've still got work to do." He smirked, his eyes regaining their coy playfulness. "So, until you give me a genuine smile, you're stuck with me."

It was then the gunman decided he didn't mind Zack's company. He was truly amazed by how easily Zack swayed between total seriousness, romance, and silliness in a manner of a few seconds. It was... interesting, in the least.

"Lucky me." He said in a flat tone.

"Hey, you can't blame anyone but yourself, Vinnie-chan!" Zack barked out a laugh, leaning closer, preparing to steal a kiss. "After all, it'll be really easy to get rid of me. So, until then, how about a kiss?"

Vincent's eyes regained their complete stoicism, as well as their mystery. Blinking lazily, he pushed Zack off, finding an opening and taking it. "Not now."

"B-but I asked nicely!" Zack pretended to whimper, letting Vincent get up. "I asked like you told me to! What about positive reinforcement and all that!?"

"I'm not in the mood." Vincent said simply, getting to his feet and brushing himself off.

"You're never in the mood..." Zack grumbled, crossing his arms and looking away, pouting once again. "If you had your way, I'd have to tackle you just to get close..." He turned and winked, the smile returning. "But, whatever. You'll end up alone at some point, and then..." he let the threat hang in the air.

There was a long pause between the two. Not bothering to break it, knowing exactly what Zack meant, Vincent turned and walked away silently, deciding not to rock the boat further.

"H-hey! Where you going!?" Zack called, running after Vincent. "I wanted to officially introduce you to the Sephiroth! He'll be coming back up again soon!"

"Sephiroth..." Vincent let the name roll around on his tongue, tasting its unique flavor. He had a few questions for this Sephiroth. "And where will we be introduced?"

"Well, he should be back soon...I think he may have run out of food by now," Zack shrugged, linking his arm into Vincent's. "Come on! Let's go!"

+--

This chapter is filled with deliciousness like the last one was, but it has its importance to the story!! Will Vincent ever smile!? Stick around and you might find out.

Please tell me what you think of it. Comments are loved.

+--


	4. Chapter 4

"Puppy Love"

"Puppy Love"

IV

Final Fantasy Crisis Core Fan Fiction

+--

I'm sure you've all been waiting long enough for this. Unfortunately, I had to do this chapter on my own, since there's not a lot of Zack action. Still, I hope you enjoy it.

+--

They wandered into the Shinra Mansion's basement together, using the secret passage found in one of the right wing's rooms. They found Sephiroth reading while sitting on top of a worn looking table. The instruments were in good condition, surprisingly, from when Vincent remembered them from. Alas, when he had seen it last, it was still in the process of being turned into a lab.

"Hey, Sephi-chan!" Zack called over to the silver-haired man.

Sephiroth looked up, a bit surprised to see the two down here. "Oh, Zack. What is it?"

"Just thought you needed a break. Besides, I wanted you to meet Vincent." The blue eyed soldier patted the gunman on the back.

"Zack, leave us alone for a bit. I want to ask him a few questions I don't think he'd like to answer in a large crowd." Vincent looked down at Zack, looking all business.

Zack held back a gasp, looking slightly hurt. He dropped his head in a vanquished manner. "Okay… Hey! I'll go get us some lunch while you're at it!"

"Do what you like." Vincent responded softly.

"See you two later! Don't have any fun without me!" Zack soon disappeared, leaving the two tall and beautiful men alone.

There was a moment's silence; Sephiroth's eyes didn't faltering from Vincent's. Red and green clashed in quiet thunder before the lighter haired man broke apart the storm.

"You wanted to interview me." He didn't push away from the desk, merely watched Vincent closely, his intentions and thoughts clouded in thick, jaded mist.

"Yes." Vincent took a few steps towards Sephiroth till he was standing directly in front of him. "I would like to know who your parents are, if you don't mind me asking."

Sephiroth smirked, a small chuckle escaping into the thick, musty air. "My mother is Jenova, my father's name doesn't matter." There was no way he would leak his own personal information to a stranger.

"Your father wouldn't happen to be Hojo, now would it?" Vincent asked, quite sure of himself.

A bit surprised, Sephiroth finally stood up straight and went for the door. Taking the side, he pushed it closed slowly, keeping his hand still on the frame, even after it clicked. He turned the lock on the door, trapping the two of them inside while keeping unwanted visitors out.

"How do you know?" Sephiroth asked, keeping his back to the other.

Vincent was starting to get the uncomfortable feeling that Sephiroth might hurt him if he didn't answer immediately. Hesitating only a second longer than Sephiroth would've liked, he answered. "I've worked with him before."

Finally, Sephiroth turned, his eyes dangerously narrowed. "Have you told anyone?"

He shook his head, stiffening at the sight of those killer eyes. It was similar to a deer caught in the head lights. "No. Does that bother you?"

"In a way." The leather-clad man stepped away from the door and took a few intimidating steps towards Vincent. "How can I assure that you'll keep your mouth shut?"

Vincent's brows furrowed, a bit confused, let alone finding himself becoming nervous by the minute. "I haven't told anyone other than you. That should be reassurance enough."

"It should, but it's not." Sephiroth stopped a good five feet from Vincent, his eyes penetrating deep into Vincent's own darker reds. It was amazing, they were the same height, so it seemed like an even match of wills. The General usually used his stature to his advantage, but Vincent was different. He had to use his clever eyes to hopefully get the upper hand.

"I have my own question for you, Vincent." Sephiroth went on in a feigned friendly manner. Vincent stared back, a bit curious now. "How do you feel about Zack?"

A bit taken aback, Vincent took half a step back when Sephiroth took one towards him. "How I feel about Zack? Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity." With no reserve, he took another step, backing the gunman into the desk.

Vincent glanced away. How 'did' he feel about Zack? He had no clue, now that he thought about it. He always thought of Zack as just simply there. At this point, he was so deep in considering his answer; he hadn't realized how close Sephiroth's advances were.

"Not much, I suppose." When Vincent looked back at Sephiroth, his lips crashed into the opposite pair, causing a muffled surprise. "What are you doing?!" He pushed Sephiroth away vigorously and covered his mouth, side-stepping for the door. He hadn't realized – he had to get away. He had to find Zack.

Sephiroth's hand shot out and grabbed Vincent's wrist, giving a cruel twist and shoving him against the wall. Wincing, the raven haired man glanced back, trying to get out of the other's grip.

Hissing sharply as Sephiroth's lips found Vincent's ear, he said, "Quit struggling. You'll only end up hurting yourself."

"What are you doing…?" Vincent asked in a hushed whisper. He hadn't seen this coming. Why would Sephiroth be advancing on him like this? What was there to gain?

His arm was starting to ache terribly. Sephiroth's grip was far too strong. Stopping any sort of resistance, he shuddered, the feel of the stronger man's breath on his neck sending his heart on a resistance run.

"You don't need to know what I'm doing, or why." Sephiroth's lips gently brushed against Vincent's ear, causing the thinner to flush considerably. "You don't need to know anything."

"Stop…" Vincent found his voice to hold a small whine.

Sephiroth could only find this small amount of begging to be quite entertaining. Chuckling softly, his voice husking, he pressed his muscled body against the other, causing Vincent to squeak.

Their little moment lasted for just that long before there came a knock on the door. "Sephi-chan! Vinnie-chan! I'm back with lunch! Open up the door!" It was Zack.

Vincent tensed, thinking Sephiroth would send him away, afraid of how far his mind was willing to travel. Fortunately enough, his thoughts didn't come true. Sephiroth released Vincent, allowing the man to rub his sore arm. He gave a warning glare that said, "if you tell Zack, I'll kill you".

+--

Uh oh, it looks like Zack has some competition. o-o;;;;

Please please please comment!!

+--


	5. Chapter 5

"Puppy Love"

"Puppy Love"

V

Final Fantasy Crisis Core Fan Fiction

+--

I had my friend help me again on this one. For once in my life, I allowed him to play as Sephiroth. xDD Of course, I'm bound to change a few things he originally wrote, since I often claim to be an excellent Sephiroth role player.

+--

The sun was close to setting. His nerves were on the high of paranoia, his arm hurting. He would definitely have a bruise on his wrist where Sephiroth had held him at.

Staring down at the ground, Vincent's eyes were distant, the color copper in the fading light that leaked into the inn's room. The glass reflected the scattered light beautifully, forming prisms of colors that danced along his light skin. He couldn't get his mind off of what had happened in the basement. Had Zack not come when he did…

No, he couldn't bear to think about it. It hurt too much, both physically and mentally. He couldn't tell Zack, his fear clouding over him like a child afraid of the dark.

Zack watched Vincent, puzzled by his strange behavior. He had been so quiet all through lunch and then when they returned to the inn, this time with Sephiroth in tow.

Had something happened?

Vincent had said that he wanted to talk to Sephiroth in private...had they possibly gotten into an argument? He couldn't be too sure, and just as he opened his mouth to speak, Sephiroth entered the room looking his usual stoic self.

"Hey, Sephiroth!" Zack called animatedly, happy to find a reason to break the silence. "I'm so glad you decided to come out into the sunlight finally!"

"I was doing research, you know, Zack," Sephiroth replied, his left eyebrow quirking slightly, irritably.

Zack knew the look, but ignored it. "Well, still, you need to take a break every now and then, right? Couldn't kill you, right?"

Zack was amazed at how the sun reflected in the beautiful silver locks of the general, though Sephiroth's attention seemed locked on Vincent for some reason. The look he gave the gunman, very cold and sort of...well, intimidating. Now he knew something had happened.

Vincent visibly flinched under Sephiroth's gaze, even though his back was turned to the two. What was going to do? At a loss, he eventually stood and walked past Sephiroth and out the door. He needed to clear his head. He had forgotten to take his cape with him, completely forgetting that Nibleheim could get very nippy at night.

"Zack...there's something we need to talk about," Sephiroth said quietly, a plan forming in his mind.

Vincent would always have the option of going to Zack, and Zack, as much as Sephiroth despised admitting it, may have actually stood a chance at trying to rectify the situation for Vincent against Sephiroth. However, if he eliminated Zack's ability of interfering, or rather, take away Zack as an ally for the gunman, then he would be able to do as he pleased with Vincent without concern for anyone interrupting. "You see...it's about Vincent. There's something you should know." Now, he just needed to cook up a lie.

--

Stopping a little outside of Nibleheim, Vincent's lungs heaved sharply, drawing in breath at a considerable rate. He had ran. What was wrong with him? Sephiroth had filled him with so much fear that he had to actually 'run' from him.

He didn't know what to do. He had no idea how to handle this. This had never happened to him before. The silver haired general was stronger and much more agile than the gunman, and not to mention capable of getting rid of any sort of obstacle in his way easy. He could even get Zack to go on a pointless mission.

He was in trouble. Serious trouble.

Shivering violently, Vincent fell back against the bridge's wall, using it to support all his weight. He slid down the thick poles and hid his face in his hands, propping his head against his knees.

He felt so lost.

"You okay?"

Looking up, he met eyes with the blond known as Cloud. He looked a bit shy, but more curious. Vincent's rose eyes clouded, turning a thick crimson as he looked down and away.

Sensing the other's discomfort, Cloud sat down beside Vincent, holding onto his rifle's strap. They both sat in silence, simply reading each other's feelings by the air they breathed. They were so much alike, yet neither would truly know until the future.

--

"He...really said that...?" Zack asked, his stomach clenching tightly.

He couldn't believe it...Vincent didn't seem the type to so bluntly show rude behavior, to openly mock someone like that. However, Sephiroth had no reason to lie to him, especially not about someone bad mouthing Angeal.

"He did," Sephiroth said simply, shrugging, as if it didn't matter in the long run. He felt a twinge of guilt for using his old friend like this, but really, Sephiroth was used to getting what he wanted.

This was simply one of those times.

"He said that you had no right to compare your situations, and that Angeal was nothing compared to the loss of Lucrecia. 'Zack is simply too foolish to understand the difference' I believe his exact words were. 'It's like trying to explain something to a child'."

Zack flinched, but still wasn't too convinced. That didn't sound like Vincent. Vincent was too intelligent to resort to blatant name calling.

Sephiroth noted the disbelief, and so, quickly amended. "Of course, when I attempted to explain what Angeal meant to you, and how you lost him so suddenly, he only seemed to scoff at the situation. 'If the fool allowed himself to be used in such a way then it's his own fault. Lucrecia had nothing to do with what happened to her! She was a victim, and this Angeal was certainly not, not by any means'!"

He paused, to let the words sink in, and was pleased to note that Zack's eyes clouded over slightly. He may not have bought it, but the doubt was there. That was enough at the moment.

--

"It's getting cold." Cloud commented.

The silence they had between them wasn't awkward in the least. In fact, it was quite comfortable. Staring at the broken truck lying on the other side of the bridge, Vincent shifted slightly.

"I suppose. Does the cold bother you?" Vincent asked, keeping up the pleasant conversation. At least it was getting his mind off of what had happened just so recently.

"No. I'm used to these backwater towns. I grew up here, after all." Cloud replied. It was very easy to see they were enjoying each other's company. "Where are you from, anyway?"

Vincent didn't respond, only said, "I'm not really used to the cold."

"You should go back inside, then." Cloud stood, regretting to leave Vincent for his duties. "I have to finish patrolling."

Vincent stood along with Cloud and watched the blond leave with a little wave. He headed back to the inn, reluctance hanging heavily around him.

"I...I need to think for a bit..." Zack said quietly, deciding that the sudden headache he had developed required fresh air to be cured. He wanted to trust Vincent, to know that the man wasn't so selfish or cruel, but there it was, in the back of his mind. Vincent just wasn't as nice as he thought he was. That smile...maybe it really just didn't exist.

He walked quietly out of the inn, leaving Sephiroth alone in the room, the red cloak now in his hands, examining the fabric with no real interest. Vincent would have to come back for it eventually. It was a part of him, Sephiroth knew. Better still, it bore his scent, that cologne and gunpowder mix that had caught his attention while they were in the basement of the Shinra Mansion.

He would come back, and then Sephiroth would show him just how futile struggling would be; that he, Sephiroth, always got his way.

Having just barely missed Zack leaving the inn, mostly from not wanting to return, Vincent walked inside, the wind starting to pick up. He crept upstairs, his heart pounding. He felt so cold.

Walking inside, his eyes searched around for his clap. He was surprised to see only Sephiroth there, the absence of Zack confusing him.

"I'm afraid your 'life-line' has gone out for a walk," Sephiroth replied coolly, his brilliant green eyes narrowing, his heavy steps bringing his powerful form closer to Vincent. "You see, after I told him all the terrible things you said about his friend, Angeal...well, he was simply too devastated to hang around anymore."

His cold glare became a wicked grin, a Cheshire smile that widened as he stood before Vincent, his prize. A hand clapped onto his shoulder, and pushed him roughly to the side, the other grabbing the door handle and shutting it, cutting off the escape rout, the lock clicking loudly, intensified by the air in the room.

"Now that I am certain we will have no interruptions, Vincent, I would like to discuss your future in this world I am certain you are so very unfamiliar with... No friends, no family, not a single person alive who knows you, nor cares about you... a pity really..."

Vincent's eyes narrowed a match for the dangerous stare Sephiroth gave him. He moved to leave, only to have his exit cut off all too quickly.

He grunted, back hitting the corner of the dresser a bit too harshly. "What do you mean all the cruel things I said?" He growled, hating the fake pity and the over-confidence in the man's poise. "I said nothing like that."

"Well, you and I know that," Sephiroth smirked, crossing his arms, daring Vincent to try and fight him. "But Zack doesn't. In fact, I wouldn't put it past him if he has a hard time speaking with you for a while, if ever again. After all, he hurts so very easily."

Walking forward again, the knuckles in his right hand cracking, he made sure to exude nothing but confidence, confidence that he could easily handle anything that Vincent could possibly hope to do. "So, why don't you make this easier on yourself and simply admit that you're powerless? You're powerless against me, you were powerless to save the woman you love, and now, you're powerless in keeping possibly the one friend you had in this world."

Sephiroth's words cut to the core. Vincent took a step back, eyes clouding over in cold rage. Hand on the hilt of his gun; he pulled it out, the silver metal glimmering in the twilight, the stars flickering dimly.

"Stay away from me."

He had no reserve to pull the trigger. In fact, he would gladly kill this man, the son of the scientist that eventually killed his Lucrecia. But, he started doubting that he could actually pull the trigger. This was Lucrecia's son, and he held her graceful beauty. Still, he kept his gun arm still, showing no emotion that said otherwise.

Sephiroth looked at the gun a moment, stunned only by the gall that Vincent was showing. Perhaps he wasn't as spineless as he had originally thought? Of course, that would make it all the more entertaining when Sephiroth broke him.

"Go ahead, Vincent," the soldier replied, his eyes brows rising as he spread his arms out wide. "Pull the trigger. Here I stand, ready to receive the bullet you would intend to have end my life... and yet I see doubt in your eyes. Why is that? Is it because you know that, if you should fail to kill me, that you won't get another shot?"

He took one, large step closer. "Or perhaps you know this already...perhaps you simply cannot deny the desire within you?" His green eyes focused on Vincent's beautiful crimson ones, as if trying to hypnotize him. "Or, would you gladly wish to harm Zack further? If he saw that I had a bullet in me, and you were the one holding the smoking gun, what do you think he will assume? He is too simple to listen to reason, especially from one who has, in his mind, already insulted his idol, and slew his general. You'd turn your former friend into your enemy all too quickly..."

Taking another step, now within grabbing distance of the weapon, his smirk vanished, and he became deathly serious. "So why do you persist in resisting what you know will eventually occur? Or perhaps...you simply enjoy it?"

He shot forward, inhumanly fast, his hands on the trigger, grasping Vincent's long fingers, squeezing them, keeping them from pulling the lever. His face, his body, inches away, his smirk returned.

"You fail, Vincent Valentine..."

Vincent was frozen. It was a jumble of some of the things he said. He didn't want to hurt Zack unintentionally. Sephiroth had already done damage enough.

Unfortunately for the gunman, Lucrecia occupied his mind. He envisioned her crying and hating him for killing her only son. The son she had died giving birth to.

Without realizing how fast Sephiroth could be, he was already struggling to keep a hold on the silver pistol. He fought with all his might, only to fail miserably.

He glared into Sephiroth's eyes, fearing the worse. His heart had already taken a leap, a knot tightening in his throat. There really was no escape. No hope of rescue.

"What do you plan on doing with me, should you have your way?" He asked, trying to keep a bit calm about the situation, as much as he wanted to scream and beg for mercy.

"I suppose you'll just have to find out as we go along, won't you?" Sephiroth replied simply, twisting Vincent's wrist once again, trying to force the gun from his grasp, as he leaned over him from behind. "All you need to know now, Vincent, is this... from now on... you're mine..."

His breath was hot on the back of the man's neck as he reached for his collar, his fingers nimbly undoing the top button. "Oh, and I love it when you act so brave...it makes the thrill of what I am doing so much more satisfying as I envision the end result..."

"I am no one's." Vincent growled, wincing as his already bruised wrist was twisted cruelly, the pistol dropping carelessly on the ground. "Let me go...!" He struggled to get away, not willing to play Sephiroth's lustful game.

"Not a chance," Sephiroth purred, his hand grasping at Vincent's chin, turning his face towards his own, as he claimed those pale lips. He held the pose for a moment, before releasing it, twisting around and forcing Vincent to the bed, pouncing immediately, holding him beneath his powerful form. "It's almost laughable, how you think you're your own...You'll be saying different by the time I'm through with you..."

"Let me go, Sephiroth…!" Vincent's breath escaped him when his back hit the cool sheets below him, coupled with Sephiroth's weight. "I-I don't want to do this…!"

He was starting to get scared. Sephiroth was obviously going to take this all the way, which caused a gaping hole to form in the middle of his chest. Already, his tears were threatening; stinging the backs of his eyes.

Sephiroth took in Vincent's beauty, drinking it in. The moon had started to rise, shimmering off his creamy skin. He dragged his fingers along the fabric of his shirt, loving the way Vincent had turned from a tough and brave gunner, to a now pleading, frightened man.

His 'prize'.

As each button was undone, his chest was further revealed. Staring Vincent in the eyes, his jaded green orbs captivating the other's red irises, he dragged his long fingers across such marvelously soft skin, drawing a small whimper from the other.

"Please…" Vincent begged, his voice hushed into a whisper. "Please, don't…"

+--

I'm cruel. Yeah, I know. I'm not going to write out a lemony scene, only because I'm not very good at them. So… use your imaginations. xD

+--


	6. Chapter 6

"Puppy Love"

"Puppy Love"

VI

Final Fantasy Crisis Core Fan Fiction

+--

Yeah, I know already, I'm incredibly cruel. I've made you wait for so long for this chapter.

I've made a connection to the original game. xDD I've decided to include this simple little line somewhere in the beginning of this chapter. If you find it, you get a cyber cookie and pat on the back.

+--

Zack had found his way to one of the spare rooms in the dark, looming mansion north of Nibleheim. The mansion where he had rescued Vincent from. His heart was broken and his soul tattered. His mind kept drifting back to his sleeping beauty. How he had first found him, lying inside a coffin, looking so beautiful, like a precious stone. He was like a dark ruby, or garnet.

And just like a stone, Vincent was cold and cruel.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, not paying any mind to the squeaking springs, Zack's blue eyes stared down at the floor, lost in his own world of torment and despair. He hadn't felt this horrible since Angeal… no, he wouldn't think of that.

Lying back, he closed his eyes, trying to think of happier times in his life. His mind drifted aloft, back to his time in the church with Aerith. She was always optimistic and just so cute.

He gave a wry smile, finally realizing how much he missed her. But, Vincent was different. Things were different. What was he going to do now? He still liked Vincent and wanted to help him, but he couldn't get close to the gunman without a feeling of sympathy and anxiety washing over him.

"Zack?" A small voice called out from downstairs.

Zack sat up, legs criss-crossing. "Cloud?"

That voice had to be Cloud's. "Oh, here you are." The blond poked his head through the door, after hearing Zack's voice echoing from upstairs to where he was. He had a shy smile on his face, sky blue eyes always hiding something. He was mysterious in his own little, cute, shy way.

"What's up?" Zack forced a smile.

"I saw you leave the Inn in a sort of rush." Cloud admitted. "Did something happen?" He wasn't about to mention the little time he spent with Vincent, even though it was painfully important at this point.

"Nope!" Zack grinned, keeping up his optimistic look about him. "Nothing's wrong!"

Cloud saw through it. Even if the blond was dense at times, Zack was forcing a smile that came so naturally. He had watched the soldier so often in his line of work, and never before had he seen the dark haired man look so… depressed.

His own eyes clouding over, the blond walked further into the room and sat down beside him, keeping his head bowed slightly. "Is it about Vincent?"

A bit surprised Cloud would know something, even if it was vague, Zack stared at him, his smile finally disappearing. He curled up into the fetal position, head resting on his knees, and arms circling around those curled legs. His broad shoulders gave a shudder as he attempted to hold back tears of agony and distress.

Unsure of what to do, Cloud just sat there, watching Zack, feeling a pang of sadness wash over him. He wanted to comfort Zack, but was unsure of how to go about it.

Finally deciding to try a simple hug, Cloud got on his knees and crawled behind Zack. His arms wrapped around the other and he rested his head on the back of Zack's. The dark haired man didn't recoil away, but leaned back into the blond, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I don't know what to do anymore." Zack admitted, choking on his own words. "I just don't know."

Cloud nuzzled his cheek into Zack's hair, to show he was listening and wanted Zack to continue.

"I want… I want to help Vincent, but I can't. I don't know how…!" Zack sobbed silently. He hated this. He hated being so sad and crying, especially in front of Cloud. Cloud looked up to him – Zack was a hero to Cloud. He didn't want to be weak. "I just… don't know how…"

"Have you tried talking to him?" Cloud asked simply, his hold not relinquishing.

"I can't talk to him. Not after finding out what he's been saying behind my back!" Zack sniffled and used his arm to wipe his runny nose.

"What did he say?"

"He said… he said that… bad… things… bad things about Angeal…" Zack could hardly speak. His sobs grew to a gentle pitch and he leaned forward, wanting to hide.

Cloud reached forward and took Zack's chin, forcing the weeping individual to look at him. Perhaps… perhaps this was the only way to calm him down. Swallowing hard, hesitating for only a second, Cloud pecked Zack on the lips.

Zack was frozen. Eventually, his own mind registered what had happened and he began to accept it. Perhaps this was the best way to forget.

Leaning into Cloud's lips, he returned the kiss a bit more fervently, making the blond take in a deep breath.

This was what Cloud wanted. He wanted to be with Zack so much, the thought of being away pained him. This kiss warmed his heart incredibly. He loved Zack and wanted him to be happy, to stop crying. He wanted to comfort him, but didn't know how to. That, in itself, was his own, personal Hell.

Vincent's eyes fluttered open. It was dark, save for the small sliver of light the moon leaked through the window. He shifted away from the sickeningly warm body behind him. He curled into the fetal position, his red wine colored eyes staring into nothingness.

He had given in. Allowed Sephiroth to violate his body. He belonged to the silver haired general now, and there was no one to save him. His prince had left him stranded, deceived by the lies the serpent fooled him with.

Sitting up, raven hair falling over his shoulders, Vincent glanced back at his captor. Sephiroth was asleep, needing a good rest after what had just happened.

His stomach churned at the memories.

Slipping out of bed, he quickly pulled on his clothes, feeling heavy, as though chains clung onto his spirit. He felt tied down, trapped. Would he never be free?

No. He was nothing but a beautiful raven locked in a silver cage, the veil drawn over the bars. Blinded and hidden away from the world, never to be seen in the light of day again. Forever a prisoner of the night.

Once dressed, Vincent walked over to the door and unlocked it. He drifted past the wooden frame, like a ghost, bound to the earth due to a terrible sin. The world felt different. The very air he breathed strained his lungs.

He was outside, his lithe frame working against the midnight air, all heat leaving his body. He wanted to escape. He wanted to sleep away these terrible nightmares.

Tears lingering on the corners of his eyes, he walked into the mansion, the start of all this trouble. If it weren't for Hojo, he and Lucrecia could've lived a happy life together. But, it wasn't just Hojo that drove them apart. It was Shinra, the Turks. Everything was working against their love.

A soft shuddering forced him to stop on the stairs. Hand clutching the hand rail, he glanced to his left. Was someone in the house?

Silently, he made his way up the rest of the stairs and headed down the left corridor. The sounds were coming from a guest room.

He stopped in mid-step. What if whoever was in this room was doing something he did not want to see? Would it be better to leave it as it is and walk away?

Heart pounding heavily in his chest, Vincent peeked in through the crack in the door. What he saw was Zack lying sprawled across Cloud, mouths mashing in a sloppy, and almost painful kiss.

Zack had already moved on, it seemed. His prince had found another princess. He turned to leave, finding his feet wouldn't move. Body shifting slightly, he hit his shoulder against the door and forcing it to open up. The floor creaked beneath his feet.

Startled, the two on the bed looked up, both eyes widened with fear and shock.

An awkward silence fell between the three men.

"Vincent…" Zack moved to get up, but it was too late.

Vincent fled the scene. He ran down the hall and into the room with the moveable wall. He practically flew down the spiral, wooden steps, and bolted for the room with the coffins. He had enough of this. He wanted to escape this retched nightmare.

"Vincent!"

He paused, hands clutching onto the rim of his coffin. Turning sharply, he glared at his pursuer, tears streaming down his cheeks. "What do you want!?"

"Vincent, I-"

"Get away from me!"

"Please, just listen to me-" Zack reached out a hand to take Vincent's shoulder, but the taller wouldn't allow it. Snarling, canines proving to be getting sharper, he swiped his claw at the soldier. "What you saw – i-it didn't mean anything!"

"You liar!" Vincent was trembling with rage and sorrow. "You liar, liar!"

Zack furrowed his brows and, despite Vincent's rage, grabbed the man and pulled him into a strong hug. He wouldn't let go, no matter what. The gunman let out a ferocious growl, like an animal. His physique was starting to change, emotions forcing his body to change into something of a monster. He dug his newly developed fangs into the tender area between the neck and the shoulder, forcing the soldier to grunt in pain.

No matter what, he wouldn't let Vincent go.

After a while of struggling and hurtful names, Vincent started to calm down. Soon, he was nothing but a beautiful man crying into Zack's bitten shoulder. "I hate you…" He choked, eyes shut tightly as he clung onto Zack tightly. "I hate you…"

"I know…" Zack's hold was still strong, stubbornly refusing to release his princess. He wouldn't, not when he was in this state of emotional discontent. "Hate me all you want. I deserve it. You shouldn't have seen that."

"I thought… I thought _I _was your princess…?" Vincent whimpered, shuddering violently.

"I thought you hated being called a princess?" Zack asked teasingly sweet.

"I don't…" Vincent sniffled, voice low and pathetic, like a child's. "I like being your princess… I like being weak, for once… for once… I feel protected… I want… I want to be your princess, Zack… Everything… everything Sephiroth told you was a lie… I didn't say anything about you…"

Zack's eyes rippled with affection. His hold on Vincent only tightened, bringing him closer into his chest. "You swear…?"

"Yes…" Vincent hiccupped, his body shaking with the repercussion.

"Vincent… is there something else you'd like to tell me?" Zack nuzzled Vincent's cheek with his nose lovingly.

"I don't know if I can…" Vincent was content being in Zack's strong hold. He felt like a woman needing protection, and he liked it. He had thought not looking masculine was clearly against the law, as he was raised to believe, but now… now he was okay with it.

As long as it was with Zack and no one else.

"You can tell me anything." Zack cooed into the other's ear softly. "I won't get mad or anything."

Vincent hesitated, then said in a whisper, "After you left… Sephiroth took advantage of me… He… he touched me…"

Zack's face darkened. Sephiroth raped Vincent? Was that why he lied to him? He wanted Vincent all to himself, and in order to do that, he got rid of the only obstacle. It was a low, dirty trick that he thought Sephiroth was incapable of performing. It looked like he was wrong in his assumptions.

"It'll be alright, Vincent. I'm here now." Zack stroked Vincent's long, beautiful raven hair, tantalizing the scalp with his nails. Vincent sighed softly, his tears drying up. He felt so tired. Tired and warm. Except this warmth was welcome; the warmth that he longed for.

Picking Vincent up tenderly, Zack lay them both inside the coffin and spooned his princess, a serious look on his face. He'd have to have a talk with Sephiroth about this in the morning.

+--

Sobs

I was crying so hard when writing this. I hope you all like it. We're coming to the closing of our little story. Please give me your comments about this!

+--


	7. Chapter 7

"Puppy Love"

"Puppy Love"

VII

FFVII Fanfiction

+--

I find it really hard to write this out all on my own. Which is why I have someone who pushes me further. Without him, this would've probably died before it got to chapter IV. ;;;; And thanks to everyone who's read and appreciated this story.

I thought the story needed some more fluff, so… Yay for fluff!

+--

Fog plagued the ground. The morning mist smoothed out, like the sea. The sun hadn't risen yet, and Vincent was up. He rolled over onto his other side, staring at Zack's sweet, sleeping face. He felt a tug at the corner of his lips at the sight. It was cute. Zack's dark hair fell over his face in a sloppy way that only made him look adorable, like a little puppy.

He laid there for a long while, simply watching the other, not daring to breathe, afraid of waking him.

Zack's eyes flickered open, the blue irises catching Vincent's. "Hm…?"

Vincent felt his cheeks burn slightly. He looked away upon having been caught. Zack grinned and reached over, stroking Vincent's cheek gently.

"Morning." The soldier greeted, his voice cracking under the morning. He cleared his throat and scooted closer to the gunman.

"Good morning, Zack." Vincent readily cuddled into Zack, feeling happy and at peace, save for the voice screaming in the back of his head. This was dangerous. He belonged to Sephiroth now. He had been permanently marked, and there was nothing Zack could do to free him, unless Sephiroth were killed.

Could the general be killed? At this point, it seemed impossible.

"Is something wrong…?" Zack asked, sensing the creeping worry from the other. "You just tensed up."

Vincent was quiet for a while, not wanting to ruin the mood. Nuzzling into Zack's neck, he spoke softly. "I shouldn't be here."

"Is it because of Sephiroth?"

"Yes." Vincent's eyes clouded over as he hid behind raven hair.

Zack pulled away, brushing back the hair and giving Vincent a kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry about it. I'll talk to him and get this all cleared up."

"You will…?" Vincent looked shyly up at him, his cheeks pinking.

"Of course! I'm not your prince for nothing, princess." Zack gave a cheesy grin. "Now, how about a little smile for your knight?"

"I thought you were my prince?" Vincent questioned, his usual stoic feature returning.

"Oh… yeah, I am! A prince can be a knight, too!" Zack defended himself with a little purse of his lips.

"Mmhm…" Vincent mumbled with distinct doubt. "No smile for you."

"Aww, come on!" Zack whined. "How else am I going to get the courage to face the dragon?"

"You're calling Sephiroth a dragon?" Vincent chuckled, the corners of his lips moving upward into a very small smile.

Zack stared at the smile, his grin growing wider by the minute. "You smiled!"

"What?" Vincent's very small smile faded and he stared at Zack questioningly.

"You smiled! It was so cute! Do it again!" Zack was practically bouncing.

Vincent sat up, looking slightly disgruntled. "No."

Zack sat up and hugged Vincent from behind, his hands traveling across his chest. "Come on… or else I'll have to do terrible things to you...!"

The threat was secretly inviting for Vincent. He would never tell Zack, but he wished his hands would explore all over his body. Reaching up and back, his hands tangled into Zack's spiked hair, and he inhaled sharply, back arching.

"What kinds of things?" He asked, face flushing.

Zack smirked deviously and nipped at Vincent's ear, gaining a little moan from the other. "Oh, you know…" He whispered hotly into the gunman's ear. "Things you'd usually refuse…"

"Zack…" Vincent relished the feelings, but his business mind kicked in. This wasn't the time or place to do this. They first had to get Sephiroth to let Vincent go. "Not now… later."

"Alright. If you insist, princess." Zack released Vincent hesitantly. He didn't want to, obviously, and stated this matter with a kiss on his swan-like neck. "You hang out… uhm…" The soldier thought for a moment. He wouldn't send Vincent to Cloud, knowing that there'd be some awkward feelings between the two. "Urmm…"

"How about I just wait here?" Vincent suggested, sensing Zack squirming with his mind. "I'll wait for you to come back."

Zack hopped out of the coffin and stared at Vincent for a long time, leaning over the side and in the gunman's face. "You promise to stay here?"

"Yes." Vincent nodded. "Come back soon. I'll…" He looked away, blushing dark red. "… I'll be lonely without you."

Zack smiled gently and pecked Vincent on the lips. "I'll return a fast as I can."

-

Sephiroth wasn't liking the sudden disappearance of Vincent. Having already dressed, he sat at the small table in the room, cleaning Masamune with a pure white rag. It was easier to tell where it was dirtiest using white.

His mind wandered around the possible places Vincent could be hiding. Probably with Zack, but then again, he had hurt their relationship. Where else?

Zack's mind was a tumult of emotions as he walked towards the inn. He wasn't sure whether or not he should be enraged, or angry, or how he should feel. After all, Sephiroth was his hero, his idol, what he wanted to be as a SOLDIER.

But what of the honor that Sephiroth once had that now seemed non-existent? He had lied to Vincent, and what was more, he had hurt him. It was unforgivable.

Did honor call for him to take vengeance on Sephiroth for Vincent's sake? He didn't know, but knew he would need SOMETHING, now that he stood before Sephiroth's room in the inn. He was here, and it was here he needed to take a stand. Throwing open the door, his eyes narrowed, trying to show how serious he was, he stepped inside.

"Sephiroth. We need to talk."

"Oh, Zack." Sephiroth glanced up at the young man. He hadn't really expected him so soon. "What do we need to talk about?"

You know damn well what we need to talk about," Zack replied coolly, not letting himself get upset yet. Sephiroth was smart, and he only got better as his opponents got angrier. He was good at that, enraging his foes. It happened on the battlefield, and Zack had seen it work far too many times. He needed to remain calm in this instance. "It's about what you've done to Vincent."

So… Zack and Vincent made up. That was awfully quick.

Eyes narrowing slightly, Sephiroth leaned forward in a calculating manner, hand half covering his mouth. "Is that so?" He said calmly. "Why are you the one talking to me about it? You don't own Vincent, and you don't look like his mother."

"And neither do you!" Zack hissed. "You have no right to treat him like you did! He's not property, Sephiroth! He's a human being! You can't just treat someone like that!"

Zack walked forward a step, but stayed there. Sephiroth was armed, and his blade had a much longer reach then Zack's. He could skewer Zack far too easily if things turned ugly during this confrontation.

"I want you to let Vincent go. He doesn't want to see you anymore. He's terrified of you and what you'll do to him."

Well, this was interesting news. He hadn't realized he was so terrifying to his captured raven. He would surely put this to use in the future. Sephiroth was a figure of fear, working hard for that title. It was his style, and made it incredibly easy to find and figure out enemy movements.

"Zack, you're in no position to talk down to me like that." Sephiroth replied curtly. "I could easily dispatch you for crude remarks, and Shinra would think nothing of it, considering it to be good judgement on my part. If I were you, I would stop talking and start taking orders."

He stood, reading Zack's movements all too easily. Zack wasn't an idiot all of the time. He was keeping a good distance between them. Taking a single step forward, he watched for any signs the blue-eyed soldier might make, empowering himself in the process.

Zack hesitated at that. If Sephiroth sent him away, then he'd be compelled to follow them. Which would mean that Sephiroth would be left alone with Vincent. This was something he would not allow, but he wouldn't say anything unless it really came to that. Still, as Sephiroth stood and drew closer, the SOLDIER did not back down. If it came to a fight, he would give Sephiroth one.

"You know that I follow orders as I'm supposed to," Zack replied through his teeth. "And even Shinra would have some questions regarding your reasons. After all, I'm not exactly on bad terms with the Turks. If they decided to do some delving, I'm sure that they'd take what they found to the President. You're not in charge of all of Shinra, you know. They will want answers eventually."

"Smart boy." Sephiroth nodded his approval, liking the logic Zack was pulling out. If it was a logic war, Sephiroth would win, hands down. But at the moment, he didn't feel like working for what was rightfully his.

In a slick movement, he rushed Zack, aiming to corner him, feigning to strike with his sword. He wasn't going to hurt his rival, only rough him up a bit. There was no reason to spill blood over a silly thing like this.

Zack saw the move and reacted quickly, springing back nimbly. Of course, he hadn't counted on the door. After he had pushed it open, and during his conversation, it was slowly closing, until it stopped a quarter of the way. As he sprang back, his body hit the solid wood, his head knocking against it painfully, leaving his stunned and vulnerable.

Perfect target.

Sephiroth brought the blade horizontally against Zack's neck and pressed his body into him heavily, pinning him while he was dazed. Leaning in close, breath against the other's ear, he whispered hotly, "I didn't see your mark on him while he was writhing in pleasure beneath me." After a pause, he continued. "You realize, don't you? He belongs to me and me alone. No one, not even you, can ever take him from me."

"M-mark!?" Zack gasped, letting go of his restraint on his anger. "I didn't need to mark him!" That wasn't true, completely. He had 'marked' Vincent, though that had only been a simple hickey.

Determined not to let the pleasure comment get to him, he kept very still, knowing he needed to remain calm. Sephiroth couldn't kill him. There would be too many questions. Zack wasn't exactly some nobody. He had a lot of friends both in and out of Shinra. Someone would question Sephiroth eventually.

"Vincent isn't an object or a pet! I love him, Sephiroth! Do what you will with someone who wants to be around you, but not with Vincent! He doesn't deserve what you've done to him!"

Even he knew what Vincent being marked meant. Still, he wouldn't let Sephiroth know the overwhelming pain that now invaded his heart.

Zack didn't realize it, but he was feeding Sephiroth so many emotions that could be used against him. Keeping himself calm and composed, he licked Zack's earring, quite sure that he could now feel the cold metal against his neck.

"You don't know anything about him, Zack." He said softly. "About what he really is. He's not as human as you'd like to think. He's more of a beast, a monster, than a person."

Zack's skin shivered. It was strange, really, but had the situation been different, only just a few days sooner, Zack may have felt a surge of pleasure from this situation. But now, he felt a mixture of disgust and fear. Sephiroth was quickly looking like a perfect being.

His stomach turned as he shoved the tiny hint of jealousy towards Vincent away, focusing on the situation at hand. "He's a living, breathing, thinking being," Zack replied with a hoarse whisper, his blue eyes glaring deeply into the beautiful green of Sephiroth's. Those eyes that knew no true tenderness, at least not anymore. "He is more human then you are, Sephiroth! At least you now! Why would you treat anyone like that! What did he do to deserve such disgusting behavior?"

"You're one to talk." Sephiroth said sharply, his eyes narrowed dangerously. All it would take to silence Zack forever was a quick slit of the throat. A tiny movement of the wrist and he'd be done-in. However much he wanted to do it at this moment, there'd be too many questions asked.

"You hit on Vincent the moment his coffin was opened." His tone was a growl. "Oh, yes, Zack. I know what happened down there. You were desperate enough without your girlfriend frolicking about to have your way with that beautiful man had you been alone. Don't put me in the category of gross and creepy when you had the same mind-set as I did."

Zack once again hesitated, and looked away, trying to form a response, which came very quickly, thank Odin. "I I may have hit on him, but we WERE alone, Sephiroth! I could have done what I wanted and then killed him! But I didn't! I teased him, yes, but that was it! I brought him back because I knew it would be good for him." It was a lame response, but it was all he had. "Had I known the hell you would put him through, I would never have brought him back!"

"Oh, you're so cruel, Zack Fair." Sephiroth said mockingly. "You should've known what would've happened to him in this cruel world. Especially to a beautiful man such as himself, who has no physical strength. You've lived in Midgar long enough to know how cruel people can be."

Zack's excuse was a bit too lame and was easily shot down. "If you really love him, then you wouldn't have brought him back to the living. He's better off sleeping forever, away from this crude existence."

Looking fully at Zack's flustered face, he couldn't help but notice how pretty it was. Especially when he was flushed with anger. Leaning close, he dragged his tongue along the line of Zack's bottom lip, before pressing his lips fully on the other's. Pulling back, he said smugly. "If you don't keep your paws off Vincent, I'll kill him."

Releasing the dark haired soldier of his hold, he went back to his seat, sitting down and resuming his cleaning.

Zack's face flushed again in that moment, as Sephiroth licked him and then stole a kiss, though, it certainly wasn't out of anger. He had expected that, and even with the threat hanging over Vincent's life, he was stunned, breathless as the swordsman pulled away and returned to his seat. But he wouldn't give up. Vincent meant too much to him! He loved him, no matter what Sephiroth said.

Moving slowly to the seated man, he looked down at him, anger in his eyes, despite the reoccurring sense of jealousy towards Vincent. "Sephiroth, please...Let him go. He's..." he struggled for the words. "Vincent is hurt enough. I beg of you, please, leave him alone."

"Request denied." Sephiroth said simply. There was nothing Zack could say that would change his mind. "I suggest you stop begging. It makes you look like a puppy."

"I'm not a puppy..." Zack mumbled, before pressing the matter. Going down on his hands and knees, he looked at the man's boots, trying to show how much this meant to him. "Sephiroth, please...I'll give you anything if you let him go. I'll do anything if you leave him alone."

Looking up, his eyes burned with hidden tears. Vincent's pain was his own. The man was so afraid, so hurt by Sephiroth, Zack couldn't bear the thought of him going through another night like last night.

"Yes you do, Zack." Sephiroth didn't look down at Zack's pitiful display, acting like the cruel-hearted man he was so well known to be. "And the answer is no. It will always be no."

Then he would take Vincent away. He would do just that. It was a desperate ploy, but it was his only choice. It crossed his mind right then to kill Sephiroth. The man deserved to die. But he couldn't. However much he hated him, Zack could not kill a man to whom he had felt such a strong attraction, rivaling even that of the one he had with Vincent.

"Sephiroth, let me take his place."

"You don't interest me, Zack." Sephiroth said coarsely. He was getting sick of these desperate pleas. "Go away, or else I'll go back on my word and kill him this minute."

Zack bowed his head, his last chance gone. Rising to his feet, he knew now what he had to do. He had to find Vincent and run. It was as simple as that. To where, he knew not, but he had to get him away. And if that didn't work, then he would have to go with plan B; kill Sephiroth.


	8. Chapter 8

"Puppy Love"

"Puppy Love"

VIII

Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core Fanfiction

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WARNING!

There IS man on man lemon in this chapter. If you don't like it, then don't read it and consider this series over for you. If you like it, then continue on with your fangirlish wishes and squeal in your comments. Thank you.

+--

He wasn't sure how long he had been waiting, but he sure as Hell wasn't going to wait around inside a coffin.

Vincent wandered into the basement laboratory. It still looked the same as when Sephiroth had… well, first come onto him. A bit violently, if he remembered correctly.

He sat up on the desk, and looked around at all the gadgets. He hadn't gotten the chance to take a good look at this room yet. It brought back painful memories.

Zack… He smiled at the thought of that man. He felt a bit giddy, as if he had found his true-love, like in all those fairytales. He must've looked extremely goofy with that smile on his lips, yet he couldn't push it back.

Zack just about panicked when he got back and found Vincent was not in the coffin. Then he calmed himself, realizing that the man would be fine. Sephiroth hadn't followed him out of the inn, so there was no way he had gotten here first.

Vincent was probably somewhere by himself ...and utterly vulnerable to anything that Sephiroth could think of. Running to the lab, his head swam with fear. He wanted to touch Vincent, to know he was alright, to smell that gunpowder and cologne scent of his.

Opening the lab door, his heart lifted when he saw Vincent sitting there, a strange, yet calm smile on his face, though, no doubt, it would disappear in an instant.

Rushing to him, he wrapped his arms around Vincent, holding him tightly. "Vincent, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for awakening you...! For exposing you to Sephiroth..."

Not expecting anything to ruin his train of pleasant thoughts, Vincent jumped, obviously caught off guard from the hug thrown at him.

"Zack!" He tensed considerably, leaning back a bit, eyes wide and lips a thin line. "What has gotten into you? Why are you acting like it's the end of the world?"

Honestly, Zack was acting like a… a red neck who just saw an UFO that was really his Frisbee. Hesitantly, he placed his arms on Zack's back, hoping to calm him down a bit, in order to get a straight answer.

"Sephiroth... he isn't going to let you go," Zack whispered, his voice on the verge of tears, cracking, as his guilt welled within. "I caused this to happen. If I hadn't woken you up then Sephiroth wouldn't know about you and he wouldn't... wouldn't..."

Vincent wasn't sure how to react to this. It shouldn't be Zack's burden to worry about. It was his fault for being so beautiful. Why hadn't Hojo's experimentations scarred his face? If only…

"It's not your fault, Zack." He said softly, leaning his head against Zack's, feeling his warmth. "It's my sin to bear."

"It's not a sin to be attractive," Zack replied quietly, finally looking up at Vincent, a question lingering in his mind. His own naiveté and puppy-like acceptance was evident in that he had overlooked the sort of other-worldly aura of Vincent. But now, after Sephiroth had mentioned it...

"Vincent? Are you...a vampire?"

"What…?" Vincent stared at Zack, a sort of surprised disgust in his voice. How could he even think that?!

Then again… he began to think. Who knows what Hojo did to him? It was possible he had a gene in him that gave him the aura of a vampire, or something similar. Sighing, he looked away, letting his hair cover half his face.

"I don't think I am." He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "I… I have some qualities that aren't entirely human… It might give me the air of something like a vampire."

"Sephiroth said that you weren't human," Zack agreed quietly. "He said that you were... less than human, a monster."

His hands went to Vincent's cheeks, holding his face, lifting it to look into those beautiful red eyes. How could he have ever felt a thing for Sephiroth?

These eyes... they held the world to Zack. "You're more than human to me," Zack whispered, trying to reassure Vincent just as much as himself in that moment. "You're too... too wonderful to be a boring old human. You're like an angel, Vincent. And I won't let Sephiroth have you!" His courage was slowly returning. If he had Vincent, he knew that he could do what needed to be done. "We need to leave though... we need to get away from here and Sephiroth."

"But, Zack…" Vincent blushed at the sweet compliments given to him. No one had ever told him he was an angel, and it filled him with that same giddy feeling he had a short while ago. He looked down and away from the soldier, swallowing heavily. They couldn't just run. Sephiroth was a specially trained soldier. He would find them too easily.

"We can't run. Running away will put a bad mark on your records and put you on the top of the Turks' hit list." He was an ex-Turk. He knew this. "It doesn't matter if you're friends with them or not. They put work before friendship. You have to understand this." Furrowing his brows, he glared into Zack's pretty blue eyes. "I won't let that happen to you because of me! Do you expect me to live my life happily knowing that?!"

Calming down a bit, still with an angry look, he said in a bitter mumble, "It'd be better if I just go to Sephiroth."

"Do you expect ME to live MY life happily if you did that!?" Zack replied with a snap, his hands now going to the man's shoulders. "I'll be damned if I let you go off with that - that madman!"

Vincent was close to tears, hating the situation they were both in. At this rate, there'd be no way they could be together.

Breathing in deeply, he looked down in between them, eyes dimming with sadness. This was exactly what it was like with him and Lucrecia. They both couldn't abandon Shinra, for both their heads would be for ransom.

Was it the same here? Not entirely, but if they were ever to be together, either Sephiroth had to die, or they had to risk being stalked by the Turks. "Zack, I…" He leaned into the man, resting his head on the other's chest. "We're stuck, aren't we?"

"Yeah... Even if we kill Sephiroth..." he murmured, looking away, trying to think.

"Even if we killed him, we would still be stalked by Shinra." That and Zack honestly didn't think that he could kill Sephiroth. The man was quickly becoming less and less human. It was frightening. "We're stuck... but I won't let him have you!"

That simple thought was what scared him the most. Vincent shook his head as best he could against Zack's chest, making a small, indescribable noise. "No. It's not good enough." His hands clenched onto Zack's shirt. "We'll be separated no matter what we do. It's better to not fight against it. I don't… want you to get hurt."

"I don't care!" Zack replied, holding Vincent tighter, protectively. "I would rather die then see you in his clutches! I want to be with you! I won't let him take you away from me..." He closed his eyes, burying his face in Vincent's soft hair. "You could be safe... though it would mean that I couldn't see you again." It broke his heart to think that way, but he would rather see him safe.

"You should... return to your sleep," he said quietly. "If you do, then I could lock your casket. No one would ever be able to get to you again." He wished he could join Vincent, but he knew that while Vincent could probably fall into a sleep like that, Zack's own body could not do such a thing. He would need food and air... He wasn't like Vincent.

Vincent smiled wryly. That seemed so easy. He ran his fleshed fingers up and down Zack's back, thinking it over. Sephiroth could easily break off the lock and take him back. Zack wasn't strong enough to kill Sephiroth. It was no use.

"I can't do that, Zack." He said softly, nuzzling into the man's neck. "He can break off the lock. Why are we fighting this? It's hopeless."

"Because I don't want to see you getting hurt..." Zack replied, refusing to let go, to give up. "I don't want you to be with him... to feel alone and hurt like you did last night. I tried to get him to see reason, I even offered to take your place but he... He's obsessed."

"Obsessed…" Vincent repeated that word. It was such a silly word. "Then… we should make him un-obsessed. I'll go to him and act completely different. Get him to un-like me."

It was a fool's hope, but it might work. There were crazier schemes out there.

Zack leaned forward, his lips pressing against Vincent's. He needed to know... to know that Vincent would still love him, even if he went with Sephiroth. It may work, it may not, but as long as Vincent understood that Zack loved him completely, then at least he wouldn't feel alone. His tongue pressed against those lips, asking for permission to enter, so gentle compared to Sephiroth.

Vincent tensed, finding these actions so sudden, yet welcoming. Obliging, his lips parted, allowing entrance.

He moaned softly, leaning close, cheeks flushed. He would gladly give his entire life to Zack; a man he had never thought would mean so much to him. It was pure pain to be in this kind of situation. A situation neither could escape from.

He wanted to feel Zack against him, loving every inch of him, needing that love as much as he needed air.

And Zack obliged completely, throwing himself onto Vincent with utter abandon.

Tasting, pressing, his tongue moved gently within, his arms holding Vincent against his own form, unwilling to release him. This was their moment, and he wouldn't end it until Vincent wanted it to. Right here, right now, he was Vincent's. He let out a tiny moan himself, breathing into Vincent's mouth, pressing Vincent slightly down onto the desk.

Vincent allowed such behavior, rather liking this. When they had first met, he had hated it. It had no tactic, no plan. But now...

Back against the desk, raven hair spilling around him in a dark halo, Vincent moaned softly, his own tongue greeting the probing muscle. Hands tightening against Zack's shoulders, he wriggled his hips, trying to get a comfortable position, while sprawled out like an experiment.

Zack allowed him to get comfortable, before grinding his hips against Vincent's, no playfulness. This was serious, perhaps even the last time they could have it like this for a long time. His tongue entwining with Vincent's, he sucked in a breath, pulling it slightly from Vincent's mouth, before pressing himself completely against the man, trapping him beneath his form.

"Ngh!" Vincent squirmed, his body feeling hot, cheeks flushed a light pink. Zack was serious; that much was obvious.

Tingles ran through his body, causing him to twitch slightly, soft pants making their way from deep in his throat. He pulled his lips way from their wet kiss, finding it hard to speak.

"Z-Za...ck..." He gave a soft whimper.

"I-I'm sorry..." Zack replied, looking worried. He had forgotten that Vincent wasn't really used to this sort of thing.

"No... It's okay..." The corners of his mouth twitched, curving into a shy smile, eyes sparkling, despite the dim place they were currently in. "You don't... have to stop..."

Zack returned his with his own smile, his fingers moving to the buttons on Vincent's shirt, undoing them as easily as he had the day they met. "Alright... but only because it's you," he replied, his hand now running over smooth skin, as his lips and tongue returned to Vincent's mouth. "I love you, Vincent Valentine..." he added quietly, before their lips connected.

Was this catch Vincent off-guard day? Vincent's cheeks flared hot red, his lips trembling. Zack really loved him?

That was his first real confession. All the others he remembered were from stupid girls. Idiots in their own respect. They didn't know what they were getting themselves into. All they wanted was a good looking man hanging on their arm. But Zack was different.

Tears welling up in his beautiful eyes, Vincent wrapped his arms around Zack's neck, returning his kiss sweetly, sighing softly. How could he return the confession? Say 'I love you too', or were actions better than words?

They ended up being all that was needed, as Zack held him, knowing fully what Vincent meant. This was it, his completion. He had Vincent now, knew that the man loved him in return.

A smile on his lips, he parted for a moment, pressing his forehead against Vincent's. "You're all I ever need to feel full anymore..."

That didn't help Vincent with his blushing problem. Shyly looking into the man's blue eyes, he smiled, cheeks now a match for his red eyes. "You mean it...?"

"I mean what I say," Zack replied simply, shaking his head. "I wouldn't lie about something like that."

Vincent felt like a child. Was this what it meant to be loved?

In the next moment, he assaulted Zack with kisses on the lips, nose, cheeks, forehead, and neck. He couldn't control himself, wanting to give back what was given to him, feeling selfish with his actions.

Zack understood, and it took only a matter of moments before his shirt was off, and he was holding Vincent tightly in his bare arms, against his strong, warm chest, his lips running over the gunman's, moving to his neck, then to his collarbone. "Vincent...Please, please never let me forget this moment..." he murmured softly, tongue tracing a soft line from his collar to his Adam's apple.

Vincent swallowed, head tilting back as Zack made a wet line. He gave a soft moan, hands pressing against the other's upper arms, feeling the tense and well toned muscles of the soldier, being careful not to cut him with his claw. "I'm not a God of the Mind..." He said hoarsely. "But I'll try my best..."

"You could just be my god," Zack moaned slightly in response, his hips pressing against Vincent's, as his tongue stole its way into his mouth again; his hands on either side of Vincent's head, fingers running up and into his hair, before down his arms. His tongue intertwined with the other's, his hands making their way to Vincent's belt buckle, working to remove it. He would give Vincent everything.

The beautiful man shifted uncomfortably, feeling Zack's hands removing his belt, the feeling forcing a stir in his lower abdomen. This was what he wanted. How he wanted to be loved. Cheeks flushed with color, Vincent ran his fingers through Zack's soft spikes, inhaling sharply as the cold, bitter air of the basement bit at his exposed flesh. Hesitating, his own hands traveled down Zack's chest and to his pants, tugging at them, trying to copy what the other was doing.

Zack chuckled, finding Vincent's attempts cute and strangely arousing. He finally got Vincent's numerous belts off, relieving him of his tight pants with a sharp gasp, cold air biting at his exposed erection.

He bit his bottom lip, propping himself up on his elbows and watching Zack play, the strong urge to thrust growing with every stroke of the soldier's fingers. He moaned, legs spreading to give the other more room.

"Z-Zack…" Vincent breathed, nails digging into the wooden table.

Zack knelt, dragging his tongue along his length, drawing a small whimper from Vincent. He stopped long enough to watch him squirm, before using his skilled tongue to tease the head.

"S… a…!" Vincent wasn't making any sense as he tried to form words. Heat gathering below, making Zack mewl pleasantly at the reactions. "Ah…!" This was incredible. The heat of Zack's moist tongue enrapturing his manhood, making it all seem unbearable. He wanted to scream, make Zack stop yet keep going. At this point, it was safe to say that Vincent didn't know what he wanted.

Finishing his teasing, Zack, took Vincent's hand and pressed it against his well contained bulge, forcing the red eyed man to fondle him. "Like what you feel…?" He asked with a little smirk, voice husked over with lust.

Vincent panted, his hand trembling as Zack forced him to fondle his package. "I-I don't… know…" He cursed himself, probably ruining the mood. Lucky for him, Zack just laughed it off and kissed his mouth.

The next hour or so, they made love so sweet, it brought both of them to tears. They had touched each other softly, tenderly, afraid they would've hurt each other had they been a bit more rough.

Lying on the floor, cuddling and sticky with their semen, they allowed the after affects of sex take place, relishing in their orgasms.

"I should… get going…" Vincent broke the welcomed silence, reality of the situation taking control of his sense.

"Right…" Zack said softly, disappointment glimmering in his eyes.

Sitting up, they both gathered up their clothing, moving slow. They didn't want it to be like this. They were on the same wave-length, if you hadn't noticed already.

"Hey, Vince."

"Yeah, Zack?"

Vincent turned to look at his lover, a frail look on his face. He was trying to be strong, to keep a stiff upper lip.

"I… We won't be able to have another moment like this for a long while." Zack scratched the back of his neck, ignoring his shoulder guards, having been cast aside during. "And I just… wanted to wish you luck."

"Thanks. Odin knows I'll need it." Vincent placed his hand on his claw, running his fingers across the gold surface. "And Zack… I… I love you too."

"I know."

+--

Well, I know I had a few complaints saying "Where's the lemon!?" and… well, I keep telling you. I'm not good at it! Which is why it was so short! o Don't hate me.

R&R please

+--


	9. Chapter 9

"Puppy Love"

"Puppy Love"

IX

Final Fantasy Crisis Core FanFiction

+--

Honestly, I was afraid of writing this chapter, which is why it took so long for me to actually… well, write it. I'm really sorry to all my fans. ;

+--

"You smell like him."

Vincent tensed, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. Sephiroth really was like an animal, in the way he could smell Zack on him. Or was it just an instinct?

"What of it?" The gunman decided to play coy and act like, well, a bastard.

The raven was perched on the serpent's lap, back pressed into the more solid man's chest. Sephiroth's arms encircled him, one hand on his throat. Forcing Vincent's head back, he felt the muscles of his throat move, swallowing down a lump.

"I'll have to punish you now." Sephiroth's voice wasn't at all angry, which probably scared Vincent more. The general was obviously toying with the gunman's emotions, playing him like a puppet.

Vincent wasn't sure what to say to this.

Taking the chance, Sephiroth dragged his tongue along Vincent's exposed neck, receiving a muffled groan.

"How should I punish you?" Sephiroth pondered aloud, starting to nibble on the other's flesh. "I'll let you choose."

"Let me choose?" Vincent screwed his face up, brows furrowed and lips forming a frown. "You have no original ideas?"

"Oh, I have plenty of ideas." The man behind him chuckled deviously. "I would like to hear your opinion first."

-

Sitting on the edge of the old well, nostalgia rained down on Cloud's mind. He had thought that, perhaps, Zack would understand his feelings and wouldn't take them for granted. Unfortunately, it seemed the soldier was more intent on chasing after the gunman.

Staring up at the skies, Cloud studied on one particular cloud. He smiled a bit, but it was a wasted smile. No one saw. No one cared. The blond was alone, heart broken and lost.

Pulling his knee into his chest, he turned his eyes from the sky, feeling an imminent doom coming from the blue unknown.

He wanted to find Zack, to tell him off for leaving him like that. But… he couldn't. Zack probably had his own intentions of blowing him off like that.

A kiss and run. More hurtful than a hit and run. Perhaps he had been living in Midgar for too long to feel this way?

No, if he had been in effected by Midgar's mood, then he wouldn't feel anything. It was surprising the way Cloud still had feelings after all that's happened to him so far.

The only reason he wanted to join Shinra and SOLDIER was so he could become famous, like Sephiroth; a hero, only to impress his crush, Tifa Lockhart.

That didn't happen. He was nothing but a wimpy, weak, grunt. A disposable figure in the eyes of Shinra. He couldn't bear to have Tifa see him as he was now. She wouldn't like him. She would hate him.

But then, after he met Zack, everything changed. His heart started to long for the dark haired soldier, wanting to be around him, closer.

Zack had given him courage and a reason to believe he would, one day, become a soldier. He couldn't believe that Zack had hurt him like that.

The pain he felt in his heart was too much to bear.

Gripping his chest, he forced to keep his face straight, not wanting to break, even if no one was watching. He had to be strong, no matter how hard it was. He'd have to pretend like nothing happened, even though he was a terrible actor. Zack would probably not see the pain and would treat him as a friend again.

He just hoped that, someday, this pain would go away. Hoped that he could find someone who would love him as much as Zack loved Vincent.

-

"I did NOT agree to this!"

"Oh, come now. You look very becoming." Sephiroth purred, amused by Vincent's sudden anger.

"No! No!" Vincent had forgotten the plan he and Zack formed in his moment of anger.

Sephiroth had let him 'choose' which punishment he would receive. However, it seemed Sephiroth had intended to do this all along.

Looking pretty as a picture in a red and black velvet dress, bits of his hair swept up and tied in a matching ribbon, he glared daggers at the man responsible for this.

The jade eyed soldier smirked. He had suspected his raven was acting strangely. This was only a ruse to get him to break that ridiculous acting display.

"You look beautiful. Why are you complaining?" Sephiroth asked with a little tease. "Is it hurting your pride?"

"You damn bastard! I'll kill you!" Vincent grabbed for his gun, only to have it stolen by Sephiroth.

The silver haired general held it back, away from Vincent's grabbing hands. "Now, now. No need to be so blood-thirsty. A lady should never lay one finger on such a weapon."

"I hate you!"

This only made Sephiroth grin happily, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Would you rather be naked and sprawled on the bed?"

Vincent's cheeks burned a crimson red at the thought of such a humiliation.

Huffing, he sat down, hands lay lady like on his lap. With a large frown on his face, he looked away from his captor, wishing him dead a million times over.

"That's a good boy." Sephiroth smirked, starting to like this 'owning' business. He hadn't thought Vincent would be this much fun when he first took him. "Just be happy I'm not going to dinner parties with you on my arm."

He stood and approached Vincent, a hand touching the other's cheek softly. With hidden intent, he forced Vincent to look at him, the other hand clutching his chin. With a pout from Vincent, Sephiroth leaned in and kissed him softly.

"When I finish this mission, you'll come back with me to Midgar." Sephiroth left no room for argument. "Stay here. I'll be back shortly."

He turned and left, rushing off to meet the guide that will lead him and Zack up the mountain to the reactor.


	10. Chapter 10

"Puppy Love"

X

Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core Fan fiction

[Zack, you idiot.]

The village of Nibleheim was slowly turning to ash. The dead littered the emblazoned streets. As the smoke rose, smoldering the brilliantly lit sky, Vincent stepped lightly and confident against the stone towards his destination. The reactor, where Zack and gone and hadn't come back. His cape threatened to tug away from his shoulders, wrapping the invisible cold in velvet tendrils. This place was done for.

This place was doomed from the beginning. His one and only sin developed into something so extreme. So many people were dead because of Sephiroth. Zack couldn't handle that man, that monster. He had to stop him, if only to prevent another sin from being committed.

He bolted into a run, his heart pounding heavily in his ears.

There he was. Zack was just on his way up the mountain by the time Vincent managed to reach him.

"Zack!" He called out desperately.

Zack stopped and bolted around, his eyes wide with fury and grief. "Vincent, what are you doing? I told you to wait for me."

"I can't." Vincent took a brief moment to catch his breath. "You can't win against him. He's too powerful."

If only his voice of reason could reach Zack…

"If I don't do this, no one will." The First-Class Soldier turned back towards the path. "I have to. This is what heroes are made for. I have to protect everyone, and… you."

They stood in silence, wasting precious time. A tree branch cracked and broke from the fire, collapsing a yard away from them. They both stood, the fire behind them, in front of the Shinra Manor.

Rose eyes showing nothing but pain, Vincent slowly reached out and took Zack's hand. Gentle, afraid, and encouraging. Zack looked down at their hands, troubled by the situation they were in. At this point, they wouldn't be able to be together.

"You'll wait for me, won't you?" Zack suddenly spoke.

Slowly, Vincent nodded. It didn't matter how long he had to wait. A thousand years meant nothing to him. To be able to feel this way again, to feel warm and alive. Zack was the only one who could breathe life into his frozen and dead body.

Turning to face him, Zack managed a smile. "I don't know when it'll be, but wait for me. Go back to sleep. The next time you wake up I'll be there. I have to take care of Sephiroth first. If he isn't defeated now, there's no chance for us."

"I understand." Vincent's hand slowly pulled away from him, if only to be grabbed once more. Zack tugged him into a strong embrace. "Zack…"

They held each other for a long time, both knowing this would be the last time they saw each other.

----

Footsteps? Slowly waking, Vincent was half aware of his surroundings. Once the footsteps stopped, he guessed, in front of his coffin he immediately answered. "Who is it?" He was hoping, waiting…

The lid slid off as he sat up, his hair in tangles and his eyes as red as blood. He didn't recognize the people here. Two women and a man. As he looked them over, noting how the woman in pink stood out the most, his eyes flickered over to the man. Immediately, he felt a sense of nostalgia.

[Cloud…?]

As the conversation proceeded, Vincent felt a darkness and dread sap his energy away. All the happiness he felt while he waited silently was stolen away. Even so, he knew, deep down, that waiting with so much hope was a fool's job.

[Zack, you idiot. You shouldn't promise things you know you can't keep.]

~Fin~

Author's notes: After two years I FINALLY finished this story. It's a very sad ending, but we knew it was coming. Just like at the end of Crisis Core we all knew Zack would die. Please comment and tell me what you thought of this ending.


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